


Day Thirty-Eight || Take It Away

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [38]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-10-24 10:26:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17702621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: She can't take away all that pains him. But she'll stand beside him to face whatever comes next.





	Day Thirty-Eight || Take It Away

It strikes in the middle of the night.

By now, Hinata is used to Sasuke waking at odd hours. It’s not often he’s able to sleep through the night. Sometimes it’s nightmares, sometimes it’s just a jolting awake...other times he just can’t find sleep in the first place, giving up and rising to find something to occupy him.

But this, she can tell immediately, is something different.

Typically his breaks from rest are quick and quiet - at most he might gasp, or call a name. This time, it’s a slow, drawn-out process.

Whether it’s his writhing under the sheets, or the nonsensical mumblings that wake her, Hinata’s not sure. All she knows is that something disrupts her dreaming, groggily blinking before realizing both symptoms. Forcing herself to sit up, nightgown strap askew, the butt of a hand rubs at her eyes. “Sasuke…?”

He’s not quite awake yet, brow pinched and eyelids twitching. Limbs jerk and flex as though reacting to...whatever it is he’s seeing, clearly still dreaming. Hinata’s own brow draws. She’s never seen him do  _ this _ before.

Carefully, a hand reaches and lays atop his shoulder, giving it a gentle shake. “Sasuke...wake up.”

No reaction except more murmured words, head tossing.

Okay, something is wrong. Twisting to turn on a bedside lamp, she turns back and can now see the flush in his skin, sweat slick along his brow and catching locks of black hair. He’s got a fever - a pretty bad one!

Her worry quickly intensifies. She needs to get him up and to his brother’s house - hopefully his wife is not on a night shift at the hospital. “Sasuke - Sasuke, can you hear me? We need to get up, you’re seriously ill!”

Eyes finally flutter open just a hair, revealing irises of violet and coal. “...nata…”

Well, at least he’s sensible enough to recognize her. “Sasuke, you’re burning up -”

“M’so tired…”

“I know. You’re very sick. We need to get you to a medic, okay?”

“No...no…” His tone borders on a plead, an arm tossing up over his eyes. “No more...hospital…”

“We don’t have to go to the hospital. We can just go next door and see your sis-”

“Nēchan...I’m fine...I can stay out a little longer...I have to...I have…” His words dissolve into random sounds, blurred by exhaustion and fever. “...stronger. He’ll come back...he’ll kill me…”

_ Kill him…? Is he thinking back to the days before the war? Before learning about Itachi…? _ This is getting serious. She’ll have to bring the medic here - he’s clearly not in any state to get up and move. “Sasuke, I’m going to go get her, and bring her here. She’ll help you feel better. N-no one is going to kill you.” Her syllables jump slightly as her worry chips at her calm.

“Don’t - don’t go -!”

“I’ll be  _ right _ back -”

“No!” In a strangely lucid moment, Sasuke sits upright, snagging Hinata in his arms and making her jump. He holds her tightly, ribs protesting slightly with a gasp. Brow tucked to her neck, he continues to mumble. “Don’t leave me...I don’t want to be alone…”

Outside a bedroom window, a raven cries despite the hour.

In spite of herself, Hinata feels a sympathetic pain in her heart. Arms reach up to embrace him in turn. “...I’m not leaving forever, Sasuke. But you need to be taken care of. I’m not a medic…”

“...t stop…”

“What…?”

“Make it stop…” He burrows further against her neck. Muscles slacken slightly. “...I keep seeing it...over and over. Make it stop.”

“...see what…?” she asks, already knowing the answer.

“I see them. All of them. They’re dead...I can’t...can’t save them.” Lifting from his lean against her, Sasuke wobbles shakily in his fever, staring at her with eyes fogged with delirium. “...take it away, Hinata...take it all away. All of the memories, and...and the pain…”

“Oh, Sasuke…” Hinata’s tone breaks, drawing him back to her. “...I can’t take your memories...they’re a part of you, of who you are. I know they hurt...and I wish I could make the pain stop. But you’ve done so much for the people you lost. The village knows the truth, now! The people who took your clan from you are either dead, or in a position where they can’t hurt anyone anymore. I know you’ve lost so much...but look at what you still have…! Your brother, and your cousin. Your niece and your nephew.”

Gently, Hinata lifts his head to look at her, eyes brimmed with tears as she smiles at him somberly. “...and you have me. You always will. I know they would be so proud of you. Of all you’ve done. You made mistakes...and no, you couldn’t save them. But you’re o-on a better path now. You’re making an honorable man out of yourself. Your pain has taught many people important lessons...and you’re all going to make sure no one else ever hurts like you’ve hurt.”

Still looking distraught, almost childlike in his addled state, Sasuke just huffs a sigh, collapsing back against her.

It’s then someone knocks on the door.

Flaring her Byakugan for a moment, Hinata wilts as she spies their neighbors, let in with a spare key. “C-come in.”

The pair enter with an apology for intruding, which Hinata shakes her head at. “One of my ravens couldn’t help but notice the ruckus,” Itachi explains. “They came to alert us.”

“Oh...thank you, Itachi.”

His wife sits along Sasuke’s other side, carefully accepting him as Hinata helps lay him back down. “Nēchan...I don’t feel...so good…”

“I know, dear...but I’m here to make you better.”

“Hinata…”

“She’s here, but I need some room to work. If you need her, we’ll call her, ne?”

Seeming only partially placated, Sasuke goes limp atop the mattress as white chakra flares along the healer’s palms.

Rising and slipping a yukata over herself, Hinata retreats to the kitchen, finding Itachi making tea. “Thank you…”

“I thought you could use something to drink.” Leaned against the counter, he loosely crosses arms. “...I take it he wasn’t ill when you retired tonight?”

“No, he seemed fine...but very tired. He’s been working overtime a lot lately on a case. I guess...his body is just too run down.”

“I see...Sasuke doesn’t heed his own limits a great deal of the time. I am not surprised. I’m sure she’ll get him back on track, but it’s clear he’ll need plenty of rest.”

“If he’s not too stubborn to ignore that need,” Hinata can’t help but mutter as the kettle whistles.

Silence falls as Itachi fixes three cups. “She is well-versed with his attitude by now - I’m sure he’ll obey if she gets stern enough.”

“I hope so...I hate to see him like this. He…” There’s a pause. “...he was jumping between now and the past. Talking about...the massacre, and nightmares. Wanting me to take his memories away.”

Dark brows sharply furrow. “...I see…”

“I know that...a-all three of you still harbor a great deal of weight from all of that. And it’s not easy to move on from. He already sleeps so poorly…”

“As you’ve mentioned before. We may have to try something a bit more...drastic. It’s clear our talks have not yet rid him of the guilt he feels. I...know the sentiment all too well.”

Hinata gives her brother-in-law a sympathetic glance.

“...you may not be able to take away all that Sasuke has suffered. But I know you do him an unfathomable amount of good, Hinata. After the war, Sasuke was...aimless, and moorless. His disconnect from Konoha, and his classmates, was exceedingly difficult for him to navigate. I truly do believe you made bridging that gap all the easier. Your lack of a relationship prior to his leaving left a blank slate he had with few others. And your paralleled natures - as well as points in your history - gave him something to relate to. To...anchor himself to.” Itachi gives her a warm smile. “...you have done more for Sasuke than almost anyone else. And for that, I have to thank you.”

Flustered color blooms in Hinata’s cheeks. She’s...not quite sure how to respond to that.

Thankfully, it’s then Itachi’s wife returns, looking a bit weary, but hopeful as Itachi hands her the third cup of tea. With enough bedrest, he’ll recover in a few days by her estimate. But she’ll still pop by daily to check on him.

“Thank you both so much for coming.”

“No need for thanks - we’re family. It’s nothing contagious, just his body being overworked, so you can go back to sleep beside him. I went ahead and put him under more manually, so he should sleep through for about six hours or so. At that point he’ll need to eat, relieve himself, and all that. Just keep him fed, hydrated, and well-rested. He’ll be just fine.”

Hinata nods, the three of them finishing their tea before the elder couple take their leave, promising to return should anything change.

Washing the cups, it’s then she returns to their bedroom, finding Sasuke sound asleep. A compress lies across his brow, blankets done up to his chin to help sweat out the fever. Carefully, though she knows she won’t wake him, she slips back beside him. For a time, she just watches, replaying his words and expressions in her mind. Seeing him so upset...it breaks her heart. Maybe Itachi is right - maybe they all need a bit more help than they’ve been getting to finally put their pasts to rest.

Fingers gently weave through his hair. “...we’ll figure this out,” she murmurs. “Together. I promise...Sasuke…”

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for yet another late post. I had a very...rough day mentally and emotionally after losing a pet overnight. So I took most of the day off, but still got this done. Just a little late.
> 
> This idea hit me as soon as I read the prompt. Sasuke has so much in his past he wishes he could let go - that he wishes Hinata, or someone - anyone - could take away. But it's not that simple. And of course, he'd never admit as much as he is. So, a little fever to lift his inhibitions! Poor guy needs like...ten breaks.
> 
> Anywho, that's all for night. Thanks so much for reading~


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